New Eastern Europe Magazine Jan-March 2023 Vorige editie

As we near the one-year mark of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there is no clear end in sight. What is visible are the consequences of this war. The complete destruction of vibrant cities, the displacement of millions of Ukrainians and the occupation of Ukrainian territory by Russian forces has changed the lives of Ukrainians forever. As Russia continues its onslaught against Ukraine, it targets more than military sites, destroying civilian infrastructure, especially energy, in an attempt to break the Ukrainians’ will. Ukraine, supported by the West, continues to defend and has thus far managed to hold off Russian advances in many parts of the country. Yet, the price is high.
The consequences of Russia’s invasion are visible not only in Ukraine. The Kremlin has set off or exploited a series of crises that face most European countries as well. We can see it when we shop for basic necessities, such as cooking oil, sugar, milk or eggs, and we can see it on our monthly utility bills, especially heating and electricity. Therefore, in this issue our authors set out to explore how the crises of the last year are connected, used as political tools, especially by Vladimir Putin, and what affect they may have on societies throughout Europe and beyond. Undoubtedly, whether we can overcome the effects brought by the economic, political, energy, and social crises depends largely on what happens in Ukraine. However, western societies cannot ignore the fact that they too have a role to play.